Thursday, October 13, 2016

HRW releases report on ‘free speech’ in M’sia

Tolerance by the authorities for dissent is so low that even ordinary social media users are being targeted, says latest report.

KUALA LUMPUR: Human Rights Watch (HRW) has released a 40-page
document on the Malaysian Government’s bid to “criminalise” peaceful
speech and assembly.The Government uses “overbroad and vaguely worded laws” the HRW
charges in the report titled, “Deepening the Culture of Fear: The
Criminalisation of Peaceful Expression in Malaysia.”Malaysia’s prosecution of peaceful speech had spread beyond activists
and politicians, noted Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at HRW in a
statement. “It has spread to ordinary citizens on social media.”The Government’s actions signal an ever-broadening crackdown on freedom of expression and assembly in the country, he warned.Since HRW’s October 2015 report, “Creating a Culture of Fear,” the
Malaysian Government had done little to bring laws and practices in line
with international legal standards, charged Robertson.Instead, he lamented, the Government had suggested it would strengthen, among others, statutes limiting speech on social media.“Criminalising peaceful speech appears part of the Malaysian
Government’s efforts to tighten the noose on political discontent,” said
Robertson.

The Government has particularly sought to punish individuals who have
criticised Prime Minister Najib Razak on the 1Malaysia Development
Berhad scandal, he said.The Government had also gone after those deemed to have ‘insulted’ Najib or the sultans on social media, Robertson noted.Elsewhere, he said, the Government had sought to discourage people
from holding public assemblies and protests by resorting to the Peaceful
Assembly Act.The Government had also gone to great efforts to keep controversial
information out of public view, he continued. “This can be seen in its
use of the Official Secrets Act (OSA) on the 1MDB scandal.”Faced with new leaks of information on the 1MDB scandal, said the HRW
statement, the Government had also threatened to increase penalties
under the OSA to life in prison.“As Najib’s political fortunes fall, Malaysia’s intolerance of critical speech seems to rise,” noted Robertson.“Deepening the Culture of Fear: The Criminalisation of Peaceful Expression in Malaysia” is available at:https://www.hrw.org/node/294918/

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